DIY router table concept

3854 Views 19 Replies 9 Participants Last post by Old_Tom, Jul 7, 2019

DAVE HEDGEHOG

Discussion Starter · May 19, 2019

Ok...new to forums. I have an idea which is hard to explain and different from all the router table ideas I can see online. What I was thinking, was to make a ply wood box internal dimensions 6"×2" and approx 18" long and open at two ends. Then mounting that onto my miter saw roller bench, just to utilize the rollers to feed into and out of each open end. And then finally mounting the router on top of the box, with an adjustable bed across the width. This would then be used specifically for 6x2 to be feed into to cut rebates. My question is, is it a good idea to encapsulate the 4 sides of the timber when being feed into the router or not?

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Cherryville Chuck

· #2 · May 19, 2019

I foresee one of two issues. Either the box will be tight enough fit to keep the free play down so that the rebate is accurate but may be so tight as to make it hard to push through or the fit will be loose enough to allow you to push freely but with too much free play to make a uniform rebate. Ideally you would want the board to register firmly against two sides with feather boards or spring loaded rollers to keep it that way. You might find it easier by hand. When doing jobs like that you can use a double edge guide system which traps the board between them but a single edge guide works too. I just find that I usually need to make 2 or more passes to make sure I’ve routed it evenly. In you click on my uploads I made a home made edge guide to add to a factory one. It will be a few pages back and I think I posted it in a thread entitled Shop Hacks.

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DaninVan

· #3 · May 19, 2019

Hey, Dave; welcome! One of the problems that might crop up is the buildup of chips and dust in the channel, and by extrapolation, in the feed box. Also those chips are hot; there'll be some heat buildup as well in there.

sunnybob

· #4 · May 19, 2019

in theory its workable. in practice its not a good idea.
the wood going through the box would have to be dead straight perfect dimensions, which is almost impossible to achieve.
Any variation of even a few thousandths would make the wood catch and dig in, or go loose and not feed properly.

A normal router table with fence, and normal feather boards placed both on the table to hold the wood to the fence, and on the fence to hold the wood down to the table under light spring pressure, will give the results you want.

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DesertRatTom

· #5 · May 19, 2019

If I understand you correctly, the cut will be out of sight and one wall of the open box will be acting as a fence, so either the box or the router will have to move, then lock down, at which point you will run into all the problems described. 2x lumber is notoriously crooked, warped, twisted, cracked, so an edge guide is a much more practical solution. But even then, a "crooked" piece will still be off.

It sounds like you're going to run a lot of pieces at one time, and honestly I'd hate to try to run, say, 50 pieces through what you described. It would certainly be far faster to use an edge guide on construction grade lumber, using a 3hp router would speed things up some, but heating and resin buildup on that many pieces would probably require cleaning the bit several times, plus a short cool off period every couple of boards.

What I would want for a large number of pieces would be a flat, well-supported surface with a couple of pegs to hold the board solidly in place as you rout it. If you are edging extra long pieces, you'd want to clamp one edge so it doesn't shift when you get to the ends.

Love questions like this, makes the brain and imagination work.

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DaninVan

· #6 · May 19, 2019

Upon reconsideration, why not just use a dado set on your Table-saw? That'd be my first choice. Fast and efficient.
A couple of fingerboards for holding the planks in place and just zip them through.
Once you get the dado set cutting at precisely the right width and depth every rebate or channel will be identical.

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woodknots

· #7 · May 19, 2019

In addition to what everyone said above, if the rollers aren't EXACTLY perpendicular to you setup, the rollers will skew your workpiece to one side or the other.

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DaninVan

· #8 · May 19, 2019

Oh...wait.; 'Hedgehog'...you're probably from GB? No dado sets?
This would be why we encourage new members to fill in their profiles. The other members have no idea where you're posting from, or what equipment you have available to you.
I think Hedgehogs are only in the UK(?).

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DAVE HEDGEHOG

Discussion Starter · #9 · May 19, 2019

Ah brill, thanks All! Yes UK will update the profile soon promise. And yeah dado not an option(no table saw even....I manage with a skill saw). So...I had made some assumptions about variations in size and waste, being a problem. Cheers for setting me straight. I only have 6 2.4m lengths to rebate 3/4 inch(making some french doors)Think I'll check them plans for the guide. Just thought be cool if I could make an attachment for the router on the miter saw bench and just ping em through.

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Stick486

· #10 · May 20, 2019

DaninVan said:
Oh...wait.; 'Hedgehog'...you're probably from GB? No dado sets?
This would be why we encourage new members to fill in their profiles. The other members have no idea where you're posting from, or what equipment you have available to you.
I think Hedgehogs are only in the UK(?).

And Europe mainland...

Reactions: 1

Stick486

· #11 · May 20, 2019

DAVE HEDGEHOG said:
Ah brill, thanks All! Yes UK will update the profile soon promise. And yeah dado not an option(no table saw even....I manage with a skill saw). So...I had made some assumptions about variations in size and waste, being a problem. Cheers for setting me straight. I only have 6 2.4m lengths to rebate 3/4 inch(making some french doors)Think I'll check them plans for the guide. Just thought be cool if I could make an attachment for the router on the miter saw bench and just ping em through.

adapt one of these...

Herb Stoops

· #12 · May 20, 2019

Stick486 said:
And Europe mainland...

I saw one in Idaho several years ago. Spiny little bugger like a porky pine.

Herb

Reactions: 1

DesertRatTom

· #13 · May 20, 2019

DaninVan said:
Oh...wait.; 'Hedgehog'...you're probably from GB?
I think Hedgehogs are only in the UK(?).

Looked hedgehog up. They're really cute little critters.

"The hedgehog is found in parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa where they are native. They have also been introduced to New Zealand and Australia. The hedgehog is highly adapted to a variety of habitats including forests, deserts, scrublands, savannahs, and suburban areas." Reference: www.worldatlas.com/articles/hedgehog-facts-animals-of-the-world.html

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DAVE HEDGEHOG

Discussion Starter · #14 · May 20, 2019

Haha yeah my nick name always gets attention. DAVE HEDGEHOG is a character from a old t.v. show Young Onse, I cut my hair short when I was a kid and was given the nickname by a mate. Amd yes certainly cute, but a flea magnet! Thanks for the links I'll check them out. ALWAYS thinking of new innovative ways to do things

DAVE HEDGEHOG

Discussion Starter · #15 · May 20, 2019

Uh images are broken stick486

Cherryville Chuck

· #16 · May 20, 2019

Dave this the thread I referred to: https://www.routerforums.com/tools-woodworking/102826-shop-hacks-bobj3-corner-5.html
There are lots of good tips in that thread. It’s worth reading from beginning to end.

Stick486

· #17 · May 20, 2019

DAVE HEDGEHOG said:
Uh images are broken stick486

they are PDF's and not JPG's...

Reactions: 1

DAVE HEDGEHOG

Discussion Starter · #18 · May 20, 2019

Ah brill I'll pull it up on pc later

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DaninVan

· #19 · May 20, 2019

My 'Hedgehog' file has been updated.

Of course the little blighters have been exported, folks just can't seem to help themselves. The list of problematic species introduced into new areas is endless.
You'd think Oz would have learned their lesson from the rabbit disaster.*

*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myxomatosis

Reactions: 1

Old_Tom

· #20 · Jul 7, 2019 (Edited)

DAVE HEDGEHOG said:
Ah brill, thanks All! Yes UK will update the profile soon promise. And yeah dado not an option(no table saw even....I manage with a skill saw). So...I had made some assumptions about variations in size and waste, being a problem. Cheers for setting me straight. I only have 6 2.4m lengths to rebate 3/4 inch(making some french doors)Think I'll check them plans for the guide. Just thought be cool if I could make an attachment for the router on the miter saw bench and just ping em through.

Hi Dave. This is what my first idea for my router table was. It is a shop made top with a router insert plate mounted on a mitre saw stand.
Cheers.

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